Grain-separator.



PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907.

G. W. TIGE.

GRAIN SBPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED BEPT.20.1906'.

A orney [NI/EA TOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 871,743. PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907. G. W. TICE.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED BEPT.20,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- [1 Home UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE W. TICE, OF RILEY- CENTER, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOALLEN K.

i TIOE, OF LARIMORE, NORTH DAKOTA.

GRAIN-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented aw. 19, 1907.

Original lpplioation filed November 23. 1906. Serial No- 288.768-Divided and this application filed September 20. 1906.

' Serial No. 886.892.

T 0 all whom it mag} concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Tron, a citizen of the United States,residing at Riley Center, in the county of St. Clair, State of Michigan,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain- Separators,comprising a division of my original application filed November 23,1905, Serial No. 288,763, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein tot-he accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a grain separator, and particularly to a shoeadapted for 0 oration in connection with a threshing mac ine to performa cleaning of the threshed grain.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved construction andarran ement of the cleaning or separating mec anism coo crating with anautomatically controlled air blast extending upward through theseparating screen said screen being so disposed that the delivery fromthe chafier screen at one end is directly into the huller mechanism. a

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning shoe adaptedto cooperate with the straw conveying fan of the threshing mechanismwhereby the suction from said fan cooperates with the blast fan actingupon the screens so as to create a positive current or draft of airthrough the separator casing which will carry all refuse material fromthe screens downward into the an of the straw conveyer to be dis.

charged thereby.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the apended claims.

n the drawings F-Figure 1 is a vertical section through a threshing andcleaning machine showing the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is adetail cross section of the conveyer from the elevator to thechaffingscreen on line 2*2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan of the chaflingscreen; Fig. 413 a side elevation showing the mounting thereof; Fig. 5is a plan of the regulating mechanism ior the cleaner fan; Fig. 6 is avertical section through said fan, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged verticalsection of the hulling hoper. p Like numerals of reference indicate likedesired point.

parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the form of the invention illustrated the grain to be threshed iscarried over the, cylinder 67 into contact with the teeth carried by theconcave 73 thereof and passes downward over the screen '74 which formsone wall of the conveying chamber 90, said chamber being provided with aconveyer 91 at its base adapted to discharge into the elevator 89 bywhich it is conveyed to the cleaning mechanism. The straw falls upon thegrates 75 and is conveyed therefrom by the straw conveying rakes 92 eachof which is provided with arms 93 and rotatably mounted. Communicatingwith the upper end of this straw conveying chamber is the suction fan 96by which the strawis drawn from the conveyors and discharged at anyBeneath the grates 75 is a conve yer apron 71 adapted to discharge intothe .lower conveyer 88 which communicates with the lower portion of theelevator 89. The straw in its passage from the grate 75 is in fineparticles owing to passing through the threshing operation and toprevent this material from mixing with the grain a blast fan 10] isdisposed at the rear of said grate to carry this light material oil thegrate into the straw conveying chamber while the action of this fan issupplemented by the fan 96.

The parts hereinbefore described may be driven by. any desiredconnection, for instance, the belt 103 extends to the shaft 105 of thethreshing cylinder 67. The shaft 105 is provided with a supplementaldriving pulle 107 from which power is conveyed by a belt 108 to theshaft 109 of the fan 96. The shaft of one of the straw conveyers 92 isprovided with a pulley 110 from which the belt 111 extends over thedriving pulley 112 for the conveyer 88 and over the pulley 113 for theapron 71, thence over the pulley 114 upon the shaft of the conveyer 91in the chamber 90, said parts being driven by motion acquired from thestraw conveying members.

The separated grain is delivered from the elevator 89 t0 the cleaningmechanism, as shown in Fig. 1 and distributed equally over the cleaningscreens regardless of the angle or inclination of the machine. This isaccomplished by means ofthe screw conveyer the link 124 pivoted theretoand to the frameof the machine at one endQof the casing, andat theopposite end bymeans ofthe link 125 c ivoted to the casing'122, andhaving a colar 126 surrounding the eccentric 127, which prevents arising and fallingmovement oi one end of the screens in their travel.The eccentric is also provided with'a'depending welghte'd arm 128 whichmaintains this end of the casing normally level position.

When the machine rests in an inclined position the weighted arm orpendulum shifts the eccentric carried thereby so as to restorethelevelof the'end of the cleaning mechanism. If the machine be standing uponuneven ground so that the feed end. of the screen is higher than thedelivery end it will be seen that this inclination will cause the gramto flow very rapidly and much good material lost if both-hanger armswere of equal length. relative to their pivot. Under i this conditionifthe feed end of the screen be elevated above. its normal position thewelghted arm swings the eccentric upward and retains the delivery end ofthe screen at the proper level. In the event of the inclination of themachine when the delivery end of the screen is too high the reverseoperation occurs. This weight retains the eccentric in a relativelyfixedrelation to the collar and hanger pivoted thereon so that the latter inits travel equalizes or neutralizes the rising oscillation given to thescreen at the opposite end thereof and converts the movement into asubstantial reciprocation at the delivery end of the screen.tudinallyand is oscillated in a vertical plane .at one end while at theopposite end this os- 'cillation is converted into a reciprocatorytravel. The casing 122 is reciprocated longitudinally 'by'means of apitman 128 connected 130. an ec'centric 129 upon the driving shaft 130of the-cleaner fan. This casing is also given a lateral orside movementduring its reciprocatory travel bymeans of the crank arm 131 pivoted tothe frame of the machine at-132 and to the screen casing at 133. IThechafling screen 121 is provided with a surface 134 of proper mesh forthe passage of thegrain therefrom to the cleaning screen 123 beneath thesame and at its outer end is 7 provided with a portion 135 of wider meshthrough which any unhulled grain or un- The screen travelslongithreshed'heads'will pass by'means of. the chute portion 136 intothe hopper 137, as

. shown in detail in Fig. 7. This hopper communicates at its lowerportion with the huller blades 1-38- driven by shaft 139 carry.- ingdriving pulley 140 which is connected bybe t 1.41 with a similar pulley142 upon the shaft 130 of thecleancr fan. The grain hulled' by theseblades passes downward 1 through the chute 1-141 from whence it isdischargedinto the chamber am]. then returned to the elevator 89 for thesubsequent. cleaning action. The chaifer screen 121 is provided withaseries of parallel ribs 142 raised above the surfacethereof which tendto prevent anylateral movement of the grain in the shaking of the screenandthus secure an even feedover the screen and de-' posit u on; thecleaning screen 123. The materia passing from this latter'screen fallsupon the board 143 from whence it is directed into the delivery chute144. p .i

The blower 145, shown in detail in Fi s. 5 f and 6, is disposed within acasing 146 w ich is provided with an air intake 147 atone side 90thereof having a valve 148 pivotallymounted at 149 and provided with anoperating lever 150 carr ing at its end a winding spool 151 from whichthe connecting cord 152 extends. This spool is adapted to be rotated forthe purpose of lengthening and shortening .the cord 152 and is held inits adjusted position by means of the thumb nut 153 so that it .is

in fixed relation to the arm 150, whilethe parts are in operation. This.cord extends to a lever 154 which is pivotally mounted upon a bracket155 and is adapted to engage the movable member 156 carried by aoverning mechanism upon the shaft 130.. This mechanism comprises a fixedmember 157 having aflink connection 158 with the movable member 156.These links are provided with governor weights 159 which in theiroutward movement retract the member 156, and place spring 160 disposedupon the shaft 130 under proper tension. When this spring is distended,as shown in Fig. 5 the valve 148 is held in open position, but as thespeed of the fan'increases and consequent blast of air becomes greaterthe retraction of 11.5 the member 156 slacks the connection with thevalve 148 causing the same to gradually close so .as to positivelydeliver an even current of air for the full width of the cleaningscreens. This automatic regulation of the air inlet to the fan permitsthe proper amount to be fed to the cleaner under the varying conditionsof slow and fast threshing, as an increase in the speed of the fanreduces the air opening, while a decrease there-- of increases thecapacity of its opening.

A portion of the grain removed from the threshing cylinder is carrieddirectly through the screen at the back thereof, while the straw withthe remaining grain falls upon the'conveyers, thezformer being carriedby the straw conveyer and thence by the fan to the discharge, while thegrain passes downward through the grates and conveyers to the elevatorby which it is carried upward and deposited upon the movable cleaningand chafiing screens. These screens are under the constant action of theair blast from the fan which communicates with the interior casingthereof, and the straw, hulls or other material which is carried off ofthe screens is conveyed downward to the fan ofthe straw conveyer whichassists the cleaning fan by creating a suction draft therefrom. Thematerial passing from the chafiing screen isalso received upon thecleaner screen from which it is delivered into the delivery chute whilethe material which passes off the cleaner screen, as well as theunhulled material from the 'chafiing screen is carried by ravity intothe hulling blades from whic it is returned to the conveyer for arepetition of the cleaning action. The screw conveyer by which the grainis fed from the elevator to the cleaning screen provides for -the evenfeed thereon while the reciproca set forth its merits, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine of the classdescribed, a machine casing, a cleaner mechanism, a pivoted hanger atone end of said casing and connected to said mechanism, an eccentricallymounted circular hearing at the opposite end of said mechanism, a hangerpivoted at its upper end upon said bearing and at its lower end to saidmechanism, and means to automatically shift said bearing upon its axisin the inclination of the casing.

2. In a machine of the class described, a

' machine casing, a cleaning mechanism, a pivoted hanger disposed at oneend thereof, an eccentrically mounted circular bearing disposed at itsopposite end, a strap pivoted on said bearing and having a hangerpivoted to said mechanism, means to automatically shift said bearin uponits axis, and means inde ndent of t e,eccentric-bearing for vibratingsaid mechanism.

3. In a machine of the class described, a cleaning mechanism, apivotally mounted link at one end thereof, a weighted eccentric disposedat its opposite. end, a strap extending from said eccentric to saidcleaner, a

driving shaft provided with an eccentric, and

a pitman extending from said driving shaft to the cleaner. a

4. In a machine of the class described, a cleaning mechanism, apivotally mounted link at one end thereof, a weighted eccentric disposedat the opposite'end, a stra extending from said eccentric to saidceaner, a

driving shaft rovided with an eccentric, a pitman exten ing from saiddriving shaft to the cleaner, and a crank arm pivotally mounted at oneend upon the casing of the machine and at the opposite end u on thecasing of the cleaner to effect a latera movement during thelongitudinal travel thereof.

5. In a machine of the class described, a machine casing, a cleaningmechanism, a pivoted hanger dispo ed at one end thereof, a

relatively fixed eccentrically. mounted circular bearing disposed at itsopposite end, a strap pivoted upon said bearing and to said mechanism,means for vibrating said mechanism, and means to automatically shiftsaid bearing upon the inclination of the casing.

6. In a machine of the class described, a

centric and to said mechanism, means for vibrating said mechanism, anda' pendulum weight suspended from said eccentric to shift the same uponthe inclination of the casing.

7. In a machine of the class described, a

cleaner screen, a hanger at one end adapted to effect a longitudinaloscillation thereof, a hanger at the opposite end pivotally mounted8.5115011 a relatively fixed eccentric, and a arm pivotally connected tosaid screen and to a fixed point to effect a lateral movement of thescreen in its longitudinal travel. 8. In a machine of the classdescribed, a chafler screen having 0 enings of different area at itsopposite en s, a cleaner screen disposed beneath the smaller openings ofthe chafler screen, a casing having an inclined bottom beneath thecleaner screen and a discharge spout at its end he ond the cleanerscreen and in alinement wit the larger openings of the chafl'or screen,a huller mec anism communicating with said spout, a conveyer chambercommunicating w th said huller, and an elevator commumcatmg with thedischarge of said conveyer chamber and ada ted to deliver materia fromthe huller to, t e chafi'er screen.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. TIOE. Witnesses:

(I. W. JOCELYN, A. G. ,Youne.

